FIG. 1 depicts a side view of portion of a conventional energy assisted magnetic recording (EAMR) disk drive 10. The conventional EAMR disk drive 10 includes a recording media 12, a conventional slider 20, and a conventional laser diode 30 that are typically attached to a suspension (not shown). The conventional slider 20 has a leading edge 22, a trailing edge 26, and a back side 24. The leading edge 22 and trailing edge 26 are so termed because of the direction the conventional media 12 travels with respect to the EAMR transducer 28. In addition to the conventional EAMR transducer 28, the slider also includes a conventional read transducer 27. Other components that may be part of the conventional EAMR disk drive 10 are not shown. The conventional slider 20 is typically attached to the suspension at its back side 24. A conventional EAMR transducer 28 is coupled with the slider 20.
The laser diode 30 is coupled in proximity to the EAMR transducer 28 on the trailing edge 26 of the slider 20. Although not explicitly shown, the laser diode 30 may be mounted on the trailing edge 26 of the slider 20. Light from the conventional laser diode 30 is provided to the trailing edge 26 of the slider 20. More specifically, light from the laser diode 30 is provided to a grating (not shown) of conventional EAMR transducer 28. The light from the laser diode 30 coupled into the grating is then provided to a waveguide (not shown). The waveguide directs the light toward the conventional media 12, heating a small region of the conventional media 12. The conventional EAMR transducer 28 magnetically writes to the conventional media 12 in the region the conventional media 12 is heated.
FIG. 2 depicts a conventional method 50 for fabricating a portion of the conventional EAMR disk drive 10. For simplicity, only a portion of the method 50 is described. The conventional read transducer and EAMR transducer 28 are fabricated on the front side of a conventional substrate, such as an AlTiC substrate, via step 52. Typically, the read transducer for the conventional disk drive 10 is fabricated first, closer to the AlTiC substrate. Thus, the conventional EAMR transducer 28 is built on other structures including the read transducer. Typically, multiple transducers are fabricated in parallel on the same substrate. The substrate later becomes the slider 20.
Once fabrication of the conventional EAMR transducer 28 is completed, the laser diode 30 may be mounted in proximity to the conventional EAMR transducer 28, via step 54. More specifically, the laser diode 30 is mounted in proximity to the trailing edge 26 of the slider 20. The laser diode 30 may actually be mounted to the trailing edge 26 of the slider 20. For example, FIG. 3 depicts the conventional EAMR heads being fabricated. A substrate 62 is used. When diced at the end of fabrication, the substrate 62 corresponds to the slider 20. Read transducers 27′ and EAMR transducers 28′ have been fabricated on the front face of the substrate 62 in a device layer 64. The conventional laser diodes 30′ have been bonded to the top surface 26′ of the devices. This top surface 26′ corresponds to the trailing surface 26 once the substrate 62/20′ has been diced into the individual EAMR heads. The lasers 30′ may be formed in a semiconductor substrate 66. Thus, the lasers 30′ may be semiconductor laser diodes.
Referring back to FIG. 3, the EAMR heads may then be separated, via step 56. For example, the substrate 62/20′ holding the read transducers 27′ and the EAMR transducers 28′ may be cleaved or otherwise cut into individual sliders 20. The front side of the substrate, on which the read transducer 27′ and EAMR transducer 28′ are fabricated, becomes the trailing edge 26 of the slider 20. The EAMR heads might also be separated prior to the laser diode 30 being mounted. However, in both cases, the laser diode is mounted in proximity to the EAMR transducer 28 and, therefore, in proximity to the trailing edge 26. The fabrication of the conventional drive 10 may then be completed, via step 58. For example, the conventional EAMR head including the conventional slider 20 and conventional EAMR transducer 28 may be mounted on a flexure and then in a disk drive.
Although the conventional EAMR disk drive 10 and method 50 may function, improvements are desired. For example, the conventional laser diode 30/30′ is a significant heat source during operation. In order for the conventional EAMR transducer 28 to function as desired, this heat is to be dissipated. However, many components of the transducers 27/27′ and 28/28′ are thermally insulating. Further, the components of the conventional disk drive 10 itself are relatively small. Consequently, heat dissipation may be problematic. In addition, the EAMR disk drive 10 is desired to be used at higher densities. Consequently, there is a drive to smaller sizes and thinner track widths. Fabrication of the components of the transducers 27/27′ and 28/28′ is increasingly challenging at smaller sizes.
Accordingly, what is needed are improved methods and systems for fabricating EAMR disk drives.